Hand catapult



Jan. 20, 1953 E. P. FOSTER 2,625,926

HAND CATAPULT Filed Dec. 5, 1950 MENTOR flaisonffba BY Patented Jan. 20,1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAND CATAPULT Edson P. Foster,Manitowoc, Wis.

Application December 5, 1950, Serial No. 199,285

1 Claim. (01. 124-420) My invention is concerned with a new and improvedhand catapult or modified sling shot capable of throwing missiles withprecision and at high velocities as directed by the user. v

Briefly, my invention is directed to a new and improved hand catapultwherein a conventional sling shot having a hand grip, bifurcated arms, apair of elastic bands and a missile sling or pocket is rigidlyassociated with a transversely positioned and rearwardly extendingelongated support arm or stock adapted to extend over and rest on theupper arm of the user between the elbow and the shoulder for givingsteady support to the catapult during the operation thereof whereby oneis enabled to cook, aim and fire the catapult with great ease andaccuracy.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide a hand catapulthaving an elongated support or stock member rigidly associated therewithwhereby a user can fire such a weapon with great ease and accuracy.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a hand catapult orsling-shot device having an elongated supporting stock attached theretowhereby the majority of the turning movement force normally accompanyingcocking such a Weapon by the tensioning of a pair of rubber bandsassociated therewith is transmitted to the upper arm adjacent theshoulder of the user rather than to his wrist whereby such a weapon canbe fired with great accuracy and with increased catapulting velocity andforce.

These and further objects and features of my invention will berecognized by one familiar with the art from the following detaileddescription and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: I

Figure l is a perspective view of a hand catapult embodying the featuresof my invention of a type adapted to throw pellets or a like class ofmissile;

Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 displaying a modifiedform of my hand catapult adapted for the ejection of arrows or likeshafted missiles;

Figure 3 is a partial top plan view of the catapult shown in Figure 2illustrating the unique arrangement of the catapulting elastic bandsthereof whereby I am enabled to accurately discharge an arrow or shaftedmissile therefrom; and

v Figure 4 is a perspective view demonstrating the operation positioningby a user of the catapult support stock during the firing operationthereof.

Looking now at Figure l of the drawings, it will be recognized that mycatapult If! therein illustrated comprises a sling shot portion II atthe forward end thereof having separated upwardly extended bifurcatedarms I2, l2. Below 'arms I2 and formed at a common junction therewith isan integrally associated downwardly extending handle member l3 providedwith a hand grip [4 adapted to give the user a good supporting grip onthe weapon. Intermediate arms l2 and the upper end of handle I3 is atransversely projecting hollowed out boss member 15 open at its rearwardend for the reception therein of an elongated cylindrical supportingstock member l! which is adapted to be mounted at right angles of theplane of the forked arms and handle. A wood screw I8 is adapted to beinserted centrally through a. forward closed end wall 19 of boss memberl5 to connect the stock securely to handle [3 after the latter has beeninserted therein. It is preferred that for a sturdy structure the armsI2, handle [3, and boss I5 all be cast as an integral unit of a suitablystrong and durable metal such as aluminum while the stock member ll beof a good strong wood, such as hickory or the like.

Means for catapulting a pellet or like missile with the deviceillustrated in Figure 1 comprises a pair of elastic or rubber bands 20,herein shown as fiat strips of rubber having suitable thickness andstrength to provide the required propelling power for catapulting amissile when the bands are stretchedto a rearwardly tensioned positionand suddenly released. Each band 2!) is fitted to the upper end of oneof the forked arms 12 of the sling shot portion of my catapult by meansof a retaining pin 22 and a slotted opening 2|, formed in'parallelrelation to stock H at the upper end of each arm; To accomplish thisfastening connection each rub ber band 20 is folded over with a doublethickness at one end to create an open loop 23 into which one of thepins 22 may be inserted; the double thickness of the band thus createdbeing inserted downwardly with a slight stretching action of the foldedportion of the band into the slot 2| in the upper end of one of the armsl2. The retaining pins 22 are then inserted downwardly in the loops 23formed at the folded outer ends of the bands 20 forwardly of theirrespective arms l2 so that rearward pulling on the bands serves to"wedgethe pins and looped ends of the bands tightly against'thearms IEto prevent the pulling thereof backwardly through the mounting slots.2I.

It will be recognized. that'both bands 28 are fitted to arm l2 in thismanner so as to reach rearwardly from the sling shot portion l l of mycatapult. The two separated bands 26 are then joined at their rearwardextremes by a missile sling or pocket 24 herein shown as made in asubstantially rectangular form of a pliable, but sturdy material such asleather. The rearward ends of the two bands 20 are fitted into slottedopening 25 formed in opposite end of the pocket 24. Each band 20, afterinsertion through one of the slots 25 is turned reentrantly over onitself, with the free end 26 thereof secured tightly to the mainextensible portion 27 of its associated band by means of several whippedloops of wire 28 or the like.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be recognizedthat the catapult Illa therein illustrated is essentially the same asthat of Figure 1 having a sling shot portion l in. comprising a handleportion I311, a pair of divergingly bifurcated upwardly extending armsi2a formed at the upper end thereof, but slightly shorter than arms !2of the Figure 1 device, and a transversely disposed, hollowed-out bossmember l5a formed integrally with and between the handle and bifurcatedarms. The supporting stool: member Ila, like stock [1, is insertedlymounted at one, end into the hollowed out interior of the boss member I5a and secured rigidly to the sl ng shot portion of the catapult by awood screw lBa. The particular embodiment illustrated in Figures 2 and3, however, is adapted especially for the catapulting of arrows or likeshafted missiles and to that end I have provided an open guiding trough36 extending transversely to arms 12a, in parallel relation to the bossmember E50, and thereabove, at the lower junction point of the twodiverging arms i211, so that the cylindrical shaft of an arrow 3|, asshown in Figure 3, may rest therein and be guided there along as it isejected from the catapult. Two rubber bands 20a are again secured to theupper end of the bifurcated arms 12a by means of the looped over ends23a thereof inserted in diverging slots Zia formed in the arms andretained in position by vertically disposed retaining pins 22a insertedin the extreme looped over ends of the elastic bands, as describedheretofore. A missile pocket 24a, similar to pocket 24 associated withthe embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, is again interconnected betweenthe extreme rearward ends of the two elastic bands and the bands heldthereto by wire loops 28a in an identical manner to that described abovein connection with the embodiment of Figure 1. However, in the arrowcatapult of Figure 2, a cord member 32 is also interconnected betweenthe ends of the rubber bands 26o inwardly of the missile pocket forengagement with the nook 33 at the rearward end of the arrow 3! to beshot.

The user, in tensioning and stretching the bands rearwardly in thisdevice, grasps the missile pocket between fore-finger and thumb allowingthe cord 32 to engage with the nook of the arrow; the loop formation ofthe cord permitting the nocked end of the arrow to extend between theinner sides of the pocket, so that the operator may grasp the arrowalong with the pocket in pulling the same rearwardly with the shaft ofthe arrow resting lightly in the guide channel ital between thebifurcated arms 12a. Upon release. of the pocket at the rearwardextremeiof the] tensioning stretch of the bands 28a the rubber bands, insnapping back to their normal unten: sioned condition, will thrust the.arrow forwardly along the channel guide 39 discharging such with greatcatapulting velocity as directed by the operator. In this connectionreference is specifically made to Figure 3 wherein the position takenbythe two elastic bands upon release is shown in phantom at 34, whereby itwill be recognized that the diverging relationship of the mounting slots21a formed in the upper ends of the bifurcated arms of the sling shotportion i la of my arrow catapult causes the bands to remain spreadoutwardly from the shaft of the arrow to prevent their possibleinterference with its free flight as it passes along channel 30 inejection.

In general, to operate a device of the class I have herein illustrated,the user holds the catapult as illustrated in Figure 4. For arighthanded man, this means that the left hand is used to firmly gripthe handle of the sling shot portion to hold the forked arms about eyelevel and in a substantially vertical upright position with the left armsubstantially straight and extended transversely of the left shoulder.For good aiming, the operators eye level should be substantially in linewith the center of the space between the forked arms of the sling shotportion. The stock or support arm, which extends rearwardly from thesling shot portion of the catapult, is rested on the upper part of theright arm between the elbow and shoulder of the user with the right handbeing used to grip the missile pocket for stretching and tensioning thetwo elastic bands rearwardly with a pulling action. After the bands havebeen stretched to the rear a suitable distance, as regulated largely bythe strength and the users right arm, the pocket is released frombetween the holding fore-finger and thumb, and the missile being heldtherein, either a pellet or the arrow, depending on whether a device ofthe Figure 1 type or the Figure 2 type is being utilized, will becatapulted forwardl through the bifurcated toward the target with a highvelocity.

It should be noted that in operating my device the stock: member 5?serves two important correlated functions. Initially the stool: actsguide for enabling the user accurately to site or aim the catapult in adesired direction in t1.-.t in its contact point with .the upper part ofthe band pulling arm acts as a pivotal trunnion for the catapult,whereby the horizontal train thereof is easily regulated. secondarily,and what of greater importance, the stock ser s to transmitsubstantially all of the downward rested turning force, normallyresisted to the grippinghand and wrist of the user, bacl wardly alongthe length of thestock to its crum contact point with the upper arm.This latter function permits greater vertical stability of the catapult:and allows the user to greater pulling force rearwardly'on the elasticbands while still maintaining the forked oi the sling shot portion in aver *ical upright p0 tion. This function may be understood lll' readilywhen it is realized hat a r r on the sling shcts elastic zontal pullingforce exer ed forked arms by the users ensioning o the bands, results intwo forces which no terbalanced to keep the catapult steady. thehorizontal pulling force itself is directly through the forl ed an Whereit is easily resisted by o1 position of the gripping-hand, arm and W1";J the user, who naturally stiiiiens a wrist to oppose such a force. Inaddition to horizontal force, however, a turning couple created composedof vertical and horizontal force components by virtue of the fact thatthe horizontal pulling force exerted by the tensioning of bands 2!! istransmitted to the sling shot arms at their upper extremes where theyconnect with the bands. The normal point of resistance for such forcesavailable to the user lies in his gripping hand at the handle and thelatter is displaced a vertical distance below the connecting point ofthe bands with the forked arms. This means that the weapon wouldnormally tend to rotate rearwardly and downwardly about the handle, orpoint of grip therewith, when the bands are tensioned and stretchedrearwardly by the user by virtue of the vertical displacement betweenthe point of exertion on the sling shot of the horizontal pulling forceand the point of resistance or support therefor. In the conventionalsling shot the operator must resist not only the horizontal pullingforce with his gripping hand and arm, but the horizontal and verticalcomponents of the vertical turning couple force as well. This limits theextent to which the bands can be tensioned rearwardly, since such ischiefly limited by the extent to which the user can resist such turningforce in that his gripping hand, wrist and arm are less able to resistthe Vertical turning force than the horizontal pulling force. As aresult, the conventional sling shot is not a very accurate weapon touse, because of the difficulty of opposing the vertical turning andhorizontal pulling forces simultaneously. By virtue of my elongatedstock member, however, I have eliminated this diificulty to a greatextent. As will be perceived readily, in my device the vertical turningforce is ably resisted by the upper part of the pulling arm of the uservia the stock memher since the latter transmits the vertical componentof the turning couple directly along its length to its fulcrum point ofcontact with the upper arm. For a right-handed man this fulcrum contactpoint would lie on his right upper arm, as illustrated in Figure 4. Thismeans that the left wrist is required to resist only the horizontalforce created by the rearward tensioning of the elastic bands, so thathis left arm, wrist and hand are subject to compression forces only,which they are capable of withstanding readily.

As a result of this novel feature of my device, the user need no longerresist the vertical turning force with his gripping hand and arm andthus he is able to stretch the rubber or elastic bands rearwardly to amuch greater length or extent, giving the catapult greater firing forceand velocity than it is possible with a conventional sling shot not madein accordance with my teaching.

While I have herein described two embodiments in which the features ofmy invention may appear, it readily will be understood that numerouschanges, modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be madetherein without departing from its spirit and scope, and, therefore, Ido not wish to be limited to the specific embodi ments hereinillustrated other than as may appear in the following appended claim.

I claim:

A hand catapult of the class described, comprising, a fork portionhaving a pair of coplanar and divergingly associated arm members joinedat their lower ends and constructed to support a pair of elasticcatapulting band members at their outer ends, a handle portion rigidlymounted dependingly to said fork portion, said handle to be grasped inone hand by the user for holding the fork portion at arms lengthoutwardly of his body in firing, and an elongated stock portion ofpole-like construction joined rigidly to and extending transversely andrearwardly from the said fork and handle portions, said stock portionbeing of sufiicient length to traverse the users body and support thehandle and fork portions adjacent its outer end by resting across theusers drawing arm used to tension the said band members rearwardly fromsaid fork portion when firing the catapult.

EDSON P. FOSTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,669,416 Wheeler Jan. 15, 19292,501,568 Jarnagin Mar. 21, 1950 2,532,798 Wright Dec. 5, 1Q50

